Maple Apple Crisp

morning crisp, originally uploaded by m a v.

An abundance of apples on hand had me craving a simple warm crisp. I added maple for a fun twist and the results were fantastic. Read on for the recipe...

I didn't follow any exact recipe, but here's what I did to great success:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (180°C)
• Peel, quarter, and slice 4-5 apples. I had Granny Smith and Gala on hand. Combine apples and about 1/3 c Real maple syrup and place in 8 x 8 baking pan.
• In a separate bowl combine 1/2 c flour, 1/2 c brown sugar, 1/2 c oats, and 1/4 c cold butter. Combine with your hands until everything is mixed and crumbly. Sprinkle on top of apple mixture.
• Bake about 30 minutes or until golden on top. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
• Delight in your stomach's happiness.

Vegan Chai Cupcakes

These cupcakes are moist and have such a fantastic flavor! I topped them with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, so they aren't actually vegan, but you can search for a vegan buttercream recipe on your own if you are. I also found these fantastic coffee bean shaped chocolate-mocha bits. Totally cute not to mention delicious on top of these cupcakes.

I am out of eggs but was craving something spicy, soft, and sweet. I haven't tried a lot of vegan baking, but I haven't often had success when I do. Usually, that is, when it is something like a cake that usually uses eggs as a binding agent. Many recipes call for egg replacer and, seeing as I am not actually vegan, that is not something I am going to go out looking for. If I have eggs on hand, I use them. If not, I seek out alternative recipes. This one, however, was a great success. I found the recipe a long time ago and haven't noted where, so I am afraid I can't give credit. But here it is for your enjoyment. I made a few small changes from the original. Recipe after the jump......

Vegan Chai Cupcakes
makes 12 cupcakes

1 cup soy milk or vanilla soy milk
3 or 4 black tea bags
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Heat soy milk and steep tea bags for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Whisk in vinegar and let sit a few minutes until curdled.
3. In a large bowl stir together all dry ingredients (Flour through sugar).
4. Add soy milk, oil, and vanilla to dry ingredients. Mix until blended.
5. Pour batter into 12 muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. Bake 20-22 minutes on 375°F or until pick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack before icing.

*NOTES*

• I used 3 teabags and, instead of steeping them in the milk, cut the bags and added the tea to the flour mixture.
• I have made these with regular milk before to great success.
• I didn't use any cornstarch as it's not available here (that I know of) and just added 2 Tbsp flour instead.
• I added 1/2 tsp anise and 1/4 tsp ginger to the mix because I am a sucker for both.
• The mixture will be very runny. Don't follow any impulses to add more flour. I did and they turned out slightly tough. They would have been perfect otherwise.
• Once cooled, top with a vanilla buttercream icing or it's vegan alternative, of course. YUM.

~ENJOY~

say "good morning, autumn": Banana Cinnamon Pancakes

Photo originally found here, uploaded from Flickr by Hungry Hungry

The colder weather has moved in, nearly all trees are bare, and the sky is always some variation of grey. I am prone to nest in general, but the present weather is turning me even more especially inwards. I am reading more, drinking lots of tea, crocheting, and am very inspired to cook, cook, cook. This blog may begin featuring more and more recipes in the coming months as a result.

I used to make Banana-Cinnamon Waffles all the time. Usually I would make a double batch when I had some overripe bananas then wrap and freeze all the extras for a much healthier and tastier alternative to an Eggo waffle. These are sweet, nutty, moist, and ohsovery delicious! I was lucky enough to find some maple syrup here in the American foods section. Labeled on the back, of course, with "Product of Canada". I don't have a waffle iron here, but the recipe works just as well for pancakes. The perfect autumn pancake, I would say. Even my roommates, who are skeptical of a fluffy American pancake, raved. Recipe after the jump...

If you don't have whole wheat or buckwheat flour on hand, just substitute all-purpose flour... though I don't recommend it if you can help it. They lend a nutty flavor to the pancakes as well as some added health benefits. Don't let the word "healthy" throw you off though, these are far from drab.

Banana-Cinnamon Waffles/Pancakes

Makes about 16 Waffles

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large ripe banana, mashed
Cooking spray

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, flaxseed, and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Combine milk, butter, and eggs, stirring with a whisk; add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in mashed banana.

Preheat a waffle iron. Coat iron with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter per 4-inch waffle onto hot waffle iron, spreading batter to edges. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until steaming stops; repeat procedure with remaining batter.

Recipe originally found in Cooking Light, May 2005

This soup kicks where it counts... Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

Ahhhhhctober. That means longer evenings, chilly walks, hot cocoa, and October nose. October nose is, for me, always fluctuating between runny and stuffy, yet never landing in that happy in between place. Though there is no official research that I am aware of to back up this claim, I have found that spicy foods seem to help clear things up, if only just for a day or two. Colder weather always calls for a steamy bowl of soup, so I whipped up a batch of my Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup to battle the cold and the nose.

I tend to experiment with food and always try something new, but this soup is one thing that I whip out often. It is also one of the first things I learned to make when I decided to actually learn how to make. It's fast, easy, and oh so yummy. I no longer follow any kind of written recipe or even exact measurements, I just throw things in the pot. But if you are curious I have reconstructed the recipe just for you after the jump. Sniffles be gone!

Ingredients:

*ingredients found very cheaply at your local asian supermarket.

• 1 Tbsp red curry paste*
• 1 tsp turmeric powder*
• 2 1/2 cups coconut milk, divided*
• 2 cups chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce*
• 4 Tbsp fish sauce*
• juice of one lime
• salt & pepper to taste
• chinese egg noodles*
• green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions:

1. Add 1/3 of coconut milk to a large heavy bottom pan. Cook over med-high heat until it comes to a boil and begins to separate. Add curry paste and turmeric, stir to make a paste.
2. Add chicken and stir fry 2-3 minutes, making sure all bits are coated with paste.
3. Add remaining coconut milk, chicken broth, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes, until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
4. Stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Serve over noodles. Garnish with green onions.

Serves 4-6

A Plum Good Idea:::Plum Cardamom Coffee Cake

I was browsing the most drool inducing website on the net and came across a recipe for this lovely coffee cake. Plum cake is something of an early fall staple here in Germany so I got totally stoked on this more Americanized version, making a coffee cake. You know I always like to get my bake on and darlings, this one is divine. The sweet and spicy caramelized sauce balanced nicely with my slightly tart pears and the cake... oh the cake! It was moist and light and had a nice balance to it.

No photos of the finished product as it's getting dark earlier and earlier. And flash is not a friend to food photography. Want the recipe? Just go ahead and continue reading...


CARDAMOM PLUM UPSIDE-DOWN COFFEE CAKE

FOR SAUCE:

• 3 tablespoons melted butter
  
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
  
• 15-18 small-medium plums such as Italian, quartered
  

FOR CAKE:

• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/2 cup orange juice

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line with parchment paper a 9” or 10” round tall cake pan.
  
• SAUCE: In a small bowl combine sauce ingredients (melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ground cardamom) and cover the base of the cake pan using a pastry brush. Starting from the outside perimeter and working your way towards the center, line your cake pan with quartered plums.
  
• CAKE: Combine flour through salt in a bowl, set aside. In a medium-large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light – approx. 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Gradually flour mixture and orange juice to butter mixture, alternating. Mix well for 3 minutes scraping the sides and bottom down half way through. Add cake batter to the top of plum pan and spread the batter evenly.
  
• Bake for 1 hour or until done. When cake is done, allow the cake to sit on the countertop for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides of the pan with a knife and flip it onto a plate. Remove parchment paper. Serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!

The recipe was originally found HERE.

Apfel-Gurken Salat

Mint Cucumber Apple Salad, originally uploaded by Delairen.

I have been a very bad friend to my health lately so I decided to treat my body to something healthy, refreshing and delicious this afternoon.  Using the little food I had around I created this yummy salad.  Overall I am pleased with the results, but I will experiment in the future with a different vinegar or other things to throw in.

• 1 Cucumber very thinly sliced
  
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
  
• Some small mild onion, finely chopped
  
• Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, and Honey (experiment with the amounts)

Mix it up and let all the flavors meld together for a few hours. I am thinking walnuts would be a great last minute addition.  Maybe I will have a few other suggestions after it has sat for a day.  Certainly throw in your thoughts if you have any.  I do love a good salad.  Enjoy.

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Sometimes I just need to bake.  As I rode by a farm on my way home today I stopped in to pick up some fresh strawberries and saw a heap of fabulous looking rhubarb.  I couldn't walk away without it and threw some fresh eggs in the mix as well.  I loaded up my basket made my way home to find my roommate in the kitchen.  We had a lovely evening cooking, baking, talking, and of course reaping the rewards of our labor.  I made this pudding cake originally found in Cooking Light some years ago.  I have left the recipe as written, but I always like to reduce the sugar a bit (I really love the tartness of the rhubarb).  This is super simple to make for a casual dessert.  

Recipe after the jump.


Rhubarb Pudding Cake

serves about nine

Ingredients

• 1 c              flour
  
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  
• 1/8 tsp    salt
  
• 5 Tbsp     butter, softened
  
• 1 1/3 c     sugar, divided
  
• 1 tsp         vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 tsp    ground cinnamon
  
• 1                large egg
  
• 1/2 c        1% low-fat milk or soy milk
  
• 4 c           (1-inch-thick) slices rhubarb (about 1 pound)
  
• Cooking spray
  

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°.
  
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. 
  
• Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add 2/3 cup granulated sugar; beat until well blended. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and egg, beating well. 
  
• Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture; beat just until smooth.
  
• Combine rhubarb and remaining 2/3 cup granulated sugar in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon batter over rhubarb mixture. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
  

Spiced Cocoa Rain

1. ginger roots isolated, 2. Hot Chocolate, 3. "And then she woke up." I suppose there are worse endings..., 4. Best milk froth I've ever seen!, 5. Cinnamon. Sticks., 6. MILK FROTHER 1, 7. whole nutmeg, 8. Grated nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and ground cloves, 9. Spice: Clove

Spring is gorgeous in Münster, though you must be patient through the rain to witness it's beauty. Today was such a day. Warm but very wet. The rain cut right through me. After getting home from work I was finished and am sitting down now in front of the computer with a cuppa loveliness inspired by what you see above...


My favorite hot cocoa and go to soul healing drink. The weather is just warm enough that I have my windows open, listening to the pit patting of drops hitting pavement and roofs. My twinkle lights on and a few candles lit, with Devendra Banhart playing quietly around me.  It is in these moments that I conjure up the memories of all the people I love and pull them up closely as a blanket around me. 

Curious about my concoction? I do love to share....

Be warned, there is no exact kind of science to the thing, but go intuitively with what you think your tastes will allow and I am sure you will be satisfied.

• Enough steamy hot milk or soy to fill your favorite mug (plus a little extra for some frothy goodness)
  
• Your favorite cocoa drink mix. (I love Stephens, for you Utahns, or if you get your hands on Scharffen Berger you will not be dissappointed)
  
• 1/2 tsp. or so of instant coffee, just for some earthy flavor
• At your discretion:  ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves
• Mix like mad.  If you have a milk frother top your drink off with some extra fun.  (mine was a cheap $2.00 deal and works like magic)

As a note, if you use vanilla soy be prepared for a very decadent experience.  It comes out thick and smooth.  However, I recommend using a dark chocolate cocoa mix.  The results are otherwise too sweet for my liking.

Enjoy!

Do you have a favorite soul nourishing drink?  Please share, I would love to try it.